The unusually wet weather in 2012 resulted in reduced fodder being available on many farms for last winter. The cold and wet weather in the early part of 2013 led to greatly reduced grass growth this Spring, culminating in an acute shortage of fodder currently.
Once fodder shortage became a reality I took a number of steps to aid the farming sector on this issue and have now put a comprehensive package of measures in place to deal with the situation. I met with the CEO’s of the Dairy Co-ops, who have agreed with my request that they will substantially increase the volume of fodder being imported into the country over the short to medium term. In tandem with this, I have created a fund of €1m to contribute to the transport costs of importing fodder, which will reduce the cost of purchasing fodder for farmers by approximately a third. The Dairy Co Ops have also agreed to consider the introduction of interest free credit, within limits, to farmers for the purchase of fertiliser, during the month of May.
Emergency assistance will also be available under the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council’s early warning system. Support is there for any farmer that is facing an emergency situation and I would urge farmers who need support to contact the Department for assistance immediately. I have also met with senior bank representatives and have asked them for flexibility over the coming period for farmers that wish to access credit at this time. In addition, outstanding scheme payments are being processed by my Department with urgency.
While access to fodder is the immediate priority, grass growth will be a crucial factor in alleviating the current situation and in ensuring that there will be sufficient fodder conserved for next winter. In that regard, I have asked the advisory services to prioritise advice to farmers in the period ahead and to focus on the optimum use of fertiliser in generating feed for the national herd. The situation is being constantly monitored and I will continue to work with all stakeholders in the sector to get through this difficult period caused by very unusual weather patterns.
